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Deltaport Third Berth

Client: Port Metro Vancouver

Location: BC

Deltaport is the largest container terminal in Metro Vancouver, located south of the city at Roberts Bank. Since 2002, when Port Metro Vancouver began to research the possibility of increasing its shipping capacity by adding a third container berth, Hemmera has been instrumental in guiding the environmental aspects of the project, from the early environmental and social baseline impact studies, to managing the environmental monitoring during construction. Currently we are leading the adaptive management strategy at the operating Third Berth.

The environmental assessment phase was significant: we managed and directed a large project team, coordinating 13 sub-consultants who were contracted to conduct environmental and social baseline and impact studies, and demonstrated our expertise in leading multi-disciplinary teams. We supported the initiatives of the many public stakeholders, including First Nation liaison and interactions with federal and provincial government agencies.

The final environmental assessment was thorough and extensive, and demonstrated our experience and understanding of BC’s environmental regulatory requirements. The report merged and synthesized information from each of the many contributors, to address the needs of the multiple regulatory authorities. Under our guidance, the project moved successfully through the processes of the harmonized Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Act and British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act, including pre-application, application, and post-assessment certification.

During construction of the Deltaport Third Berth, we managed the environmental monitoring project, a significant, multi-year process which involved overseeing the activities of multi-disciplinary teams and monitoring the project’s compliance with the federal Fisheries Act Authorization. Today we are engaged in developing an adaptive management strategy for the Third Berth. Its objective is to monitor potential negative trends in the ecologically sensitive inter-causeway area between Deltaport and the BC Ferries Tsawwassen Terminal.

From the first environmental and social impact studies, through years of government and community liaison work, Hemmera continues to guide the environmental aspects of the largest container terminal in Metro Vancouver.